ReadyNation Updates

John Pepper, Co-Chair of ReadyNation's CEO Task Force for Early Childhood and former Chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble, joined Marcia Franklin, host of Dialogue, for a conversation on early childhood education. In "The Business Case for Preschool" Mr. Pepper discussed his belief that early childhood education is critical to improving the declining skills ...

"Business Leader Actions to Support Early Childhood: A Global Imperative; A Local Opportunity" is a new report from ReadyNation which describes current business leader actions around the world to give children a good start on the path to becoming healthy, productive adults. It includes examples of four types of actions: to benefit current employees, ...

ReadyNation Director Sara Watson will be keynoting "The Business of Early Childhood" on July 3rd, 2015. This international conference, held at the University of Chester Warrington Campus in the United Kingdom, will bring together leaders to discuss what matters for young children and how to get them on the best path for life, and explore ...

“Investing in pre-K education is an initial, incredibly important step in building the workforce of tomorrow—a workforce that will be able to help Maine prosper. Investments in quality pre-K can help give children the skills they need to achieve academically. Those improved academic outcomes also lead to children being better future workers, which, in turn, can help improve Maine’s economy through greater productivity.”

“In almost any field, increased skill levels are needed. Take manufacturing. Where once ability to follow fixed procedures was all that was needed, today we reward initiative, persistence, and the ability to make independent decisions.”

“ReadyNation aims to shape stronger and more economically prosperous communities through education that starts at the earliest ages. It’s imperative the business community commit to removing obstacles to education and development, and invest in the future workforce of this great nation.”

“Part of our current challenge is that we not only need to train students for the jobs in today’s workforce, but for the jobs of the future. We need a workforce with ‘deeper learning skills’ so Maine businesses can compete successfully in a global economy.”

“We need to improve our education system in order to provide Maine’s businesses with a highly skilled workforce for the future. As a businessperson, I know our students need to be better prepared. Why? According to a 2013 report… if current education and workforce trends don’t change, Maine will face a shortage of 15,000 highly skilled workers.”View the full list of Business Champions

Lisa Ventriss – President, Vermont Business Roundtable (Vermont)

“Achieving universal pre-k for three- and four-year-olds is an issue that moves forward incrementally. Collaborate with the business community and place them in a lead role. The pre-k community can’t do this alone – and they will not be able to achieve success if they aren’t united in their effort.”

“In the concrete business we invest great resources in the foundation of a building to ensure the structure is strong and will hold up over time. We need to do the same for our children. We should prioritize early investments for our children’s health and education foundation to maximize their potential, break the cycle of poverty, prepare them for school, and minimize costly interventions later in life.”

Laurie Lachance – President, Thomas College and former State Economist and President & CEO Maine Development Foundation (Maine)

“To attain our vision of ‘A High Quality of Life for All Maine People,’ we must ensure that each and every Maine child has access to high-quality care and education from birth. Investment in early childhood IS economic development. It is not just a social and moral imperative, it is an economic imperative. Our future begins here.”

“The idea we need to understand is that pre-K education is workforce development. …If your foundation proves to be weak, cracks will show up and settlement will happen, and it’s much more expensive to repair those cracks and problems after the fact.”

“Early childhood education is a smart financial investment and a moral responsibility. We owe it to these children to have a chance to arrive at school prepared to succeed. It’s both a head and a heart issue.”

“ReadyNation is wonderful. You and Lloyd Lamm [banker and ReadyNation member] gave us an invaluable honor and scaled up the Private Sector Foundation Uganda profile in advocating for Early Childhood Investments. I received a follow up from the Speaker of the Parliament’s office appreciating this initiative. This was great. Your entire team was so exceptional, and your advice, materials and participation were so helpful. I am so inspired.”View the full list of Business Champions

“Employers and employees, alike, are attracted by a strong education system. Local economies benefit enormously when we ensure quality preschool and child care programs are part of the local landscape.”

“Business executives are now telling policymakers that continuing the status quo of inadequate early childhood investments should not be an option. We know too much not to make a better decision on priorities.”

“The children of today are the workforce of tomorrow, and unless we support them with early childhood education, the future workforce will not be of the size and ability to meet the needs of a global economy.”– Former CEO and Executive Chairman, PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.

“If I want to have a solid selection of potential employees to choose from in the years to come, today’s children need to have a solid foundation to start from. Early childhood education can provide that, and the research proves it.”

ReadyNation is a part of Council for a Strong America. Council for a Strong America is the umbrella nonprofit for five membership organizations comprising the unique and powerful voices of business, military, law enforcement, faith & sports - working together to prepare young Americans for success.